The clinical prognosis of implants that are placed against super-erupted opposing dentition

OBJECTIVES: If teeth are missing, super-eruption of teeth in the opposing arch can occur in the area and can change the occlusal plane. When missing teeth are replaced with implants, the oral surgeon must determine whether or not the super-erupted teeth need to be treated in order to normalize the occlusal plane. In this study, we evaluated the clinical prognosis of dentition after implant placement and prosthetic treatment were completed in an occlusal plane altered by super-erupted teeth in the opposing arch without additional treatment of the super-erupted teeth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients (9 males, 13 females) were treated with implants and prosthetics without addressing the super-erupted opposing dentition from April 2004 to August 2012 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. A total of 33 implants were placed. Values of crestal bone loss, survival rates, and surgical and prosthetic complications for an average of 29.6 months after prosthetic loading were recorded. RESULTS: In one case, the cover screw was exposed after implant surgery. The mean crestal bone loss was 0.09±0.30 mm. Of the 33 implants, 31 survived, a survival rate of 93.94%. A prosthetic complication occurred in one case but functioned well after correction. CONCLUSION: Favorable clinical results from prosthetic complications, crestal bone loss, and implant survival rates were exhibited in implants next to a super-erupted opposing tooth.